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Wednesday, March 26, 2014

Sibling (present participle)

L wants to take chapter books out of the school library but her librarian says she has to demonstrate that she can read them first. She is on the cusp of fluent reading but grows frustrated with all of our language's quirks. She hasn't wanted to practice -- until E offered to read with her, and on Saturday they worked on L's reading together for hours.

The night before, L hadn't been home. She'd gone to her first-ever sleepover. She had no nerves about the experience at all, but at bedtime, G broke down sobbing in her absence. I really miss my L, he moaned.

On Sunday afternoon the girls had their club performance. For the first time, G was old enough to spectate with his whole heart. His eyes glowed as he watched his girls. He clapped and cheered and hugged them deeply when it ended.

Then Sunday evening E had book club. The activity that accompanied conversation was decorating cookies. E doesn't eat sugary, gooey cookies but she brought two home with her - and gave one to each of her siblings.

If I've done nothing right aside from this, I'm cultivating how they care for each other. And then when the lovely husband goes to Atlanta and misses two bedtimes I can send them upstairs together at 8pm and they can brush each others' hair and measure out gummy vitamins and line up each others' toothpaste and each girl can squish one boy leg into pj pants and

I can have ten minutes of solitude on the first floor. And it is good.